Making the iMac even better with these 3D printed hacks
Computer Accessories
Apple made the iMac but I made it better.
These are my 3D printed hacks.
So the new 27 inch iMac.
Now I was very excited to get the new 2020 version of Apple's 27 inch iMac recently.
It's a great, super powerful all in one computer.
Especially great if you're If you're stuck working at home.
It's got new processor options.
It's got the Nano texture screen, which is shockingly an extra $500, but it really gives you a glare proof screen and even got a better webcam because everyone's doing video meetings and shooting videos at home.
So that's great to have but one thing that disappointed me about the new I'm at was that the design is still the same as it was half a decade ago still fairly modern other all-in-one computers are getting a little thinner a little fancier smaller bezels, but there's only so much you can do about it.
Right?
Well actually being a tinkerer kind of guy.
The first thing I did was fire up my 3D printer and look for some cool little extras I could make for it.
I do that all the time whether it's making a little 3D Stand for a game console controller or making some maths clips to keep my mask on or board game accessories or accessories or my Dyson vacuum.
It's always fun to take whatever you have and try to use a 3D printer to make it a little bit better.
So the first couple of things I tried for the iMac actually came out pretty well.
I was very excited about this guy.
This is a little webcam cover and it's angled right to the back to perfectly perfectly fit on the iMac sided on you can put it over the camera you can move it to the side off the camera, you can take it off if you don't want it, put it on if you want it I'm not one of those people who tells you, you have to cover up your webcam with a piece of tape or a posted note or, or one of these guys rep cam hacking is a very targeted thing.
If you're not a nuclear scientist, you probably don't have to worry about it.
That said, if you're more comfortable doing it, go ahead and do it.
And for the IMF I found, this was very cool.
And depending on what color you print it in, it could be a nice compliment to the iMac design, or you could do something very contrast D very bright and have it be a fun little piece that sits there on top of the display.
When, you don't want to have your webcam mot.
Then I went and looked at the.
Keyboard, the keyboard that comes with the iMac.
It's very small, it's very flat.
There's not a millimeter of wasted space on it, but it doesn't have that ergonomic angle.
A lot of keyboards have a little tilt up in the back supposedly makes it easier for typing.
And I had a hard time giving gifts to the very flat keyboard on my desk.
So I went ahead and printed a couple of risers that fit.
Right on the back of what Apple calls the magic keyboard, and they just snap on I printed two of them it's the same design, is that left side or right side?
And that helped me lift my keyboard up at a pretty decent angle, I'm gonna try to keep it up all the time.
And you can actually go into your 3D program and make the angle greater or smaller.
Adjust it the any way you want, if your Handy with a CAD program or something like that.
I'm not sure it's something I would use all the time.
It's not quite as stable feeling as having the full body of the keyboard against the desk.
But for lifting, I type and go.
I thought it was really well and it was super easy to print.
The one thing I always see people making For their IMAX our little stands that clip onto the back.
The big metal single piece leg that goes behind it.
Now, why would somebody do that?
I see a lot of people putting external hard drives on them and then you can just connect it right to the ports in the back.
iMac or they put USB keys or adapters or little wires or cables or loose change or whatever, there's a ton of designs for them.
I just went with this very simple one and it's got these hooks right here and it fits right on to the leg on back of the iMac, so Adam site you have a little shelf This one won't hold a ton of weight, but I put a portable hard drive on there and a USB key at the same time, no problem.
If I was gonna spend three or five hours printing a little shelf, I'd probably print one with more supports on it.
But this is my test case, and it fit right on the back, worked great.
I've seen a bunch of other really cool 3D printed extras for iMac Headphone stands that again clip on to the leg in the bag.
I've seen a bunch of people who have little little posts that you put right under the screen and it stops the screen from tilting the iMac screen can tilt forward and back and.
The hinges very stiff but if for some reason you really want it to be rock solid, you can put one of the little posts underneath that locks it.
And of course I've seen a bunch of other you know, shelf designs and webcam covers.
I picked some of the better ones they saw in each of those categories.
So that's what I like to do with the new gadget I like to break out the 3D printer Or the laser cutter.
If I have one of those, do they round make some cool accessories, take whatever somebody made and make it a little bit.
Those are my three D printed hacks for the new 27 inch iMac.
